Failure to Appear
by Hunger4Righteousness
Summary: Surely Megamind racked up countless "failure to appear" citations during his time as Metrocity's master criminal. But what about during his time as the Evil Overlord? There was one occasion when his failure to appear might have altered the course of everything. Here's a take on that popular idea. With multiple endings to come.
1. Failure to Appear

_This isn't exactly an original idea for a story; imagining what could have happened if Roxanne hadn't tripped the mechanism on the watch that fateful night. But it was fun to play with, and as I was writing I kept thinking of __twists in the story line depending on how she might chose to react. It was hard to decide between them, so I explored several._ I'll add the subsequent chapters for you to follow up as you please in a day or two. Hopefully. Things are getting a little craaaazy here...

* * *

That first kiss began as nothing more than a chaste pursing of his lips on hers. As though he wanted to kiss her but wasn't sure how. Or maybe it was just that he still wasn't sure how much he should let himself go.

_We are in a public place. And it's a first kiss. It's not usually full on suck-face or anything_, she mused silently. But inside she was overjoyed at finally connecting with this man she had come to feel so drawn to in such a short time. Sometimes it seemed as though she'd known him much longer. And the attraction between them had been smoldering just below the surface, simply waiting for a spark like this one... Her hand slid across the table over his, hoping to reassure him, wanting to pull him closer…

Feeling her touch, he turned his hand over to grasp her fingers and leaned forward on his arms a little more, pressing himself over the top of the little bistro set further. _I kissed her… I'm kissing Roxanne… we're- _

The pink lips seemed to smile a little and began to massage more deeply into his as she turned her head, angling for better purchase. And suddenly it seemed as though his heart would melt away from the rush of heat inside his chest. ._..oh god, her lips..._

He'd been unsure at first how to proceed, having never actually kissed anyone before. Surely any fool could figure out how to do it. And he certainly had wanted to do it. Thought about it... even practiced a little when he was sure he was absolutely and completely alone, no nosy brainbots in sight and pesky Minion warned not to disturb him. Times like that he got caught up in rapt contemplation of his photos of Roxanne, turning his considerable imagination to it's most vivid setting. Frustrated by empty air, he'd touch the image of her face before stroking his own lips with a blue finger...

But being offered a shot at his deepest longing in this very visible, very public place... by the only woman he wanted to impress so desperately… And... well, damn it, he hadn't even meant to take this intimate step while disguised as Bernard anyway. He had decided he simply couldn't risk her becoming attached to the man even more. Minion's accusations, bursting his bubble just as he'd been about to leave the Lair with his head stuck in the clouds of blissful anticipation, had annoyingly piqued the conscience that he'd been ignoring since he had first deceived her. Although he'd tried to wave it off as being all in an evil day's work, he knew Minion was... mostly right. But he'd severely reprimanded his sidekick for being too outspoken, putting him firmly in his place. Too firmly. Ah well, he'd have to deal with that later.

And yet, he _had_ been trying to figure out how to break the news, feel out how she would take it. Looking for a way to ease into the revelation of who he really was when... that wonderful laugh bubbling up from inside her over something he'd said disarmed him. Every rational thought he had evaporated like fog before the sun as he drank in those bright, dancing eyes and marveled over how she could find him funny and how she could possibly be so fascinating and beautiful and smart and... beautiful. And then, seeing her lean toward him, the invitation to a kiss unmistakable… unbelievable…. undeniable...

Their lips met… and he knew he shouldn't, but he was instantly lost, unable to pull away from her. And _she_ was the one pursuing it further, her lips surging against his, pressing then almost drawing away… then surging in again but caressing, side to side, harder... then softer… those alluring, pink, teasing, pouting, smirking, bitable, moist and luscious lips!

He couldn't stand it anymore. He turned his head to join in wholeheartedly, lips parting and pushing into hers, pulling back, pressing in again with the movement of his head and hers… He inched forward still more, a forceful huff rushing through his nose against her cheek.

They separated a mere second's length, their mouths making a soft crackling noise that seemed to resound through the restaurant… and he remembered that they weren't alone. He'd almost been able to forget entirely. The reminder gave him a moment's pause, but Roxanne didn't seem to care at all. She'd already joined her mouth to his again, her free hand on the side of his face now, drawing him back, pressing more… even making them join and part noisily over and over a few more times. It was a most provocative sound. _Ohhh… I like that sound…_

Finally she pulled away from him, reluctantly it seemed, with shorter pulsing kisses, watching his mouth. Still nose to nose, they looked at each other. She saw his lips slack and waiting, eyes fixed on her mouth hungrily before they lifted to her baby blues. Still leaning across the table, his chest gently heaved over and over as he stared back at her, apparently stunned. Roxanne searched his green eyes, enjoying his reaction. Awed by the intense chemistry between them and how one little kiss had immediately ignited into much more. "Suddenly I'm not very hungry anymore," she murmured.

He continued to stare at her. "Neither am I," he whispered back.

A conspiratorial smile slowly spread across her face before she leaned forward to give him one more searing kiss, deliberately pulling away so that their lips dragged over each other as they parted. His eyes reopened slowly.

"Check!" he suddenly called with a finger in the air, catching sight of their waiter passing by before swiveling back to her questioningly, uncertain of the correctness of his presumption. But she was still sitting there, steadily gazing back at him with that same smile.

* * *

They both felt a little awkward leaving the restaurant, neither quite sure what to say, only sharing shy glances, knowing this was a big step and moving rather quickly but hoping they were on the same page. It had only been a few weeks that they'd been dating, meeting in a friendly but businesslike fashion at first to discuss the city's evil overlord but quickly realizing there was much more between them and finding excuses to be together more and more often until it was a welcome daily presumption on both their parts.

Megamind in particular felt keenly on edge as he held the door open and watched Roxanne step out into the soft night air ahead of him, his gaze sweeping down from her soft brown hair over the purple sheen of the fabric hugging her curves and flaring over her hips. This wasn't what he had planned for the evening. But was he about to chance interrupting this beautiful connection with the sudden and possibly explosive revelation of who he really was? No way! _I'll tell her back in her apartment. _Her apartment… She reached over and took his arm as they walked along, side by side._ Maybe even tomorrow. Yeah._

A red flag popped up in the back of his mind and began to wave frantically, warning him that that was not a good idea. In fact, that it was a very bad idea. He glanced over at Roxanne, placing his free hand over hers tucked in the crook of his elbow. That simple gesture suddenly made him feel protective of her... and miserable about his weak vacillations. He straightened his shoulders a little. He should just come out with with truth of the matter... But...

He cursed his misgivings silently, rubbing a thumb gently over her slender fingers. A tingle passed through him at seeing the corner of her mouth lift and feeling her shoulder bump his._ Oooh_, his brain whined, b_ut_ _I _want_ this. If I tell her first, I may never get the chance to kiss her again, _he argued with his less-than-evil side. _And I've just got to have more... Where did I even get a less-than-evil side anyway? It's so annoying!_ The thought of losing her now wrung his heart, knotted his stomach. That damned conscience._ Better get what I can, while I can. _An rare and uncomfortable twinge of guilt made him glance her way once more with a slight frown. But the beginnings of doubt were suddenly forgotten when she looked back at him with a glance that was shy and flirty, that said she knew he found her irresistible... and she thought he was too.

Inadvertently his steps slowed as he returned her kittenish gaze with one full of the force of his intense longing for her... and suddenly they seemed unable to tear their eyes away from each other. There was something magnetic… almost hypnotic that happened to him when she looked at him like that, completely unaware that his intense stare was having the same effect on her. He stopped in his tracks. There was no table in the way and no hesitation this time as he pulled her close, seeing her eyes drop to his mouth as he brought one hand up to the back of her hair. He touched his lips to hers in wonder... then crushed his mouth against hers, squeezing her tight.

Some small noise of surprise escaped her as he covered her mouth, her back tensing against the unexpected fervor of his kisses. He barely registered her reaction… completely consumed by the awareness of her body held against his until he felt her relax, softening and giving way, her arms sliding up over his shoulders until she was returning his passion measure for measure. He wrapped both arms around her and lifted her to her toes as their lips began to burn under the pressure. They were both breathing loudly, kissing frantically until sucking at her lip, his tongue massaging it, he felt hers dart forward to trace along the edge of his mouth… He immediately released her lips and met her tongue with his…

Time passed without reckoning as they stood on the street, their mouths dancing together, making Roxanne more and more impatient to be somewhere else… somewhere private… _Wow, what's suddenly gotten into him?_ He'd always been sweetly flirtatious, but up to now he had also remained maddeningly reserved. Sometimes she'd pushed him a little, coy and suggestive, just to see how he would respond. She'd been impressed but disappointed that although his eyes would light up and a smile touch his lips, he always seemed to reluctantly withdraw. But now...! And her own reaction to feeling him take charge that way... _What's gotten into _me_!_ It was so absolutely compelling though… demanding… _right._ Her initial misgivings were quickly dismissed as she joined in and even made purposeful attempts to ramp it all up a bit more, to make sure he wasn't going to back out and try to be the little gentleman again.

Her toes inched closer to his, one knee bending to press her thigh along his. Standing there in the dark with the wind rising and changing before the coming rain, goosebumps rose along her skin and made her shiver while his intense, demanding kisses made her quake and burn on the inside. She finally lifted her mouth up and away from his lips with a gasp. He only pressed forward to find her ear instead, making her give a breathy chuckle as she grasped his shoulders. _Ok! First kiss out of the way, and he turns into an animal._ _This is Bernard?! Bookish, backward, mysterious, quirky Bernard?_ She wasn't about to complain, especially considering the way he was ravaging the side of her neck like he'd decided that since she'd opened the invitation, he was going to eat her on the spot. "… where's your car?"

_My car…_ His eyes popped open at the thought of the black, jagged-finned Hudson sitting cloaked in invisibility on a corner around the block from the restaurant's entrance. His kisses slowed as he considered what it might be like to continue their little tete-a-tete in the back seat. A fantastic idea… in fact, the fulfillment of a fantasy he'd sometimes indulged in, except…

"My car. Um… I walked."

"You walked? All the way here?" she asked in surprise, looking back at him. Well, she never had seen his transportation before. Apparently he walked a lot. "Ok. How about if we catch a taxi? I pretty sure it's going to start raining. We could…" She hesitated, her eyes dropping to his jacket lapels and then back up. "… go to my place. Or yours if you want."

_My place…_ He had a sudden vision of Roxanne in the Lair, lights out, backed against the console of his work station… perched on it… her bare legs wrapping around him… That was a familiar fantasy as well, and now here she was, suggesting… He swallowed weakly. Refocused. "I think we'll… go to your place. If that's all right."

_Bachelor pad. It's probably a mess_, she thought. She'd never seen it and he didn't really seem the slovenly type, but it was still a fair assumption judging by his reaction. "Fine by me," she answered, looking down at her fingers resting on his chest as he held her close.

_Oh… what am I doing?_ A momentary panic assailed him. They were on a date, and he was there as Bernard. And had been making out with her, as Bernard. And Roxanne had just invited him back to her apartment. He felt like whooping for joy but he also knew… she thought she was inviting Bernard… not him. Not Megamind. And he couldn't do what he hoped and at the same time feared she wanted, as Bernard. But as her blue eyes suddenly raised hopefully back up to meet his again and the wind swirled her hair around her face, his panic turned to lust, plain and simple._ I need her… I want her._

"Taxi!" he called, lifting one arm from her waist too late as a yellow cab zoomed past, and the night sky began to sprinkle. "Taxi…" he quickly tried again.

* * *

In the dark living room, he experimentally ran a hand along her thigh as they sat entwined on the couch, arms and lips and nearly everything else possible wrapped tightly around each other. No protest hailed his explorations. _Awesome..._

The quiet sounds of their kissing that were making his legs hot and other parts of him throb accompanied the tap and patter of the rain hitting the windows. And she kept wanting to put her arms around him, _inside_ his jacket. It was becoming more difficult to stop her from doing that and interrupting the continuity of the disguise generator as the intimacy continued to grow in intensity. But he couldn't bring himself to stop it. What he wouldn't have given to shed the façade so she could put her hands all over him. He could so clearly imagine her pale and graceful hands sliding over his smooth, tight suit... over his blue skin...touching his black hair... But that would mean revealing his true identity and even _considering_ taking that risk gave him an unpleasant chill.

While he was racking his brain for something, anything, that might let him be who he really was short of owning up to the deception which he was now sure would end their evening rather abruptly, his hand seemed to move of its own brash volition further along her thigh and over the perfect shape of that part of her that caught his eye so often... round and swaying as she walked, canting off to one side as she struck a sassy pose with a hand on her hip... He froze as Roxanne withdrew, wondering if he'd gone too far. But she'd only paused to catch her breath.

There was something she felt she had to say. "You know... Bernard… I feel like we've gotten to know each other… pretty well in the past couple weeks."

"Mmm, yes. They've been very, _very_ enjoyable weeks." He raised a finger to brush the back of it along her cheek, the flush on her skin obvious even in the dim, silvery light from the window, marveling over how peachy soft and smooth it was. And warm. So warm. Like one of the brainbots' electrically-charged domes. But infinitely more attractive and inviting.

She smiled and tipped her head toward his hand, welcoming his touch. "For me too. But… actually, I can't help feeling a little guilty."

"Oh? Why?" His fingers trailed past her ear, brushing it, and down the back of her neck. Down her arm, raising her hand to his lips. _If anyone should be feeling guilty… Do we have to be talking?_

She watched him kissing her fingers lightly while something akin to an electric current traveled up her arm from his mouth and straight into parts of her body that he hadn't even touched. Yet. How could he have this kind of effect on her? She tried hard to refocus on what she'd been saying. "Well, all this time we've been doing nothing but talking about him." She looked up into his eyes. "Megamind." She stopped for a moment, making his heart skip a beat. "You probably think I'm... kind of… sort of obsessed with him."

"Well!" He tried to look innocent. Casual with the idea. _Ok, use this opening… I can use this!_ "When you've spent so much of your time in his company… and so much of your energy, your career, trying to figure out his plans and… I mean, I think it's understandable that you might have a sort of… attachment to him." He paused to look at her. "I'm sure he does to you as well," he suggested sincerely.

"Huh, yeah, his favorite victim. Up to now..." Roxanne was thoughtful. "I guess I am kind of attached to him." She couldn't deny that Megamind attracted her, fascinated her, at the same time as he annoyed and irritated her. "But that's weird, right?" She seemed to be talking to herself, then looked directly at him. "Is that weird?" Suddenly a self-conscious laugh escaped her. "Oh wow, listen to me! Look, I'm sorry. Bringing him up again. You're probably wondering if I ever stop thinking about work!" _About him is what I mean. Geez, Roxanne, pull your head out. You're here with Bernard. You've been wanting to take this further with him, and now here you are. Why does he make me think about Megamind so much?_

"No! It's not weird. And, I really don't mind talking about him. Or, or, your work," he protested. "I'm very interested in him too!" he insisted, sounding a little too eager even to himself.

Roxanne laughed lightly. "Well, that's very open-minded of you."

"Well, it is thanks to him that we've gotten to know each other, right?"

There were times that Bernard seemed to know more about the city's villain than even she did. And, impressively, wasn't the least bit afraid of him. That was why she had initially cultivated him as a source of information, then thought maybe he actually had potential to help her bring down the villain somehow, freeing their city from oppression again. Then she had come to suspect he admired him, to the point of imitating the blue alien. It showed in small things, the way he shared some of the same mannerisms as the evil genius at times, particularly when he was unguarded, caught up in any kind of strong emotion. And those green contacts. Only Megamind had eyes that color by nature. _He doesn't mind talking about 'the other guy' – the one he knows I have a vested interest in - when we're sitting here making out?_ A smile touched her lips. "_I_ think…" she couldn't resist gently teasing, poking him in the chest with a fingertip. "That maybe you have a little bit of a fascination with him yourself."

He saw the corners of her eyes crinkle playfully. "Well…! Not like _that_! But… come on. You have to admit," he smiled modestly. "The man is fascinating, isn't he?"

Roxanne laughed. "Admire him too? A little maybe?" she coaxed.

He shrugged, arms still wrapped around her. "What can I say? He is brilliant." He added slyly, "And attractive? In a… dangerously handsome sort of way."

Roxanne blushed.

_Oh, I've got her_.

"Are you trying to tell me you're attracted to him, Bernard?"

"NO!" he protested quickly. "I'm not-! I mean, wow. Roxanne. Come on! Here we are… you and I!" He realized then that she was laughing again and relaxed.

_Wow, ok, have to tone down talking myself up when I'm pretending to be somebody else!_ He took a deep breath. "All I'm saying is, I think one might be forgiven for believing that if anybody has a perfectly good reason for being attached to our city's awesome super villain… it would be _you_... After all those years of being his victim of choice. Obviously the woman he prefers over any other. It's a compliment," he stated matter of factly. "And finding your presence requested by such a powerful, charismatic personality over and over," he dared to suggest about himself once again, "Knowing you're his favorite, the one he wants... It's no wonder you might feel some attraction to him. Maybe find yourself under the _uncontrollable_ seduction of power..." He watched her mouth trying to work up a protest but staying silent. "Am I right… Ms Ritchi?" he purred.

"No." Her face had sobered, eyes staring and unfocused as she listened to his voice coaxing the truth from her. She could almost hear Megamind's voice. "It wasn't power." She stopped. "It was him... Something about him. How he says my name… when he says it like-"

Bernard smiled before her attention snapped back to him. "I'm sorry! Again! Could I be any more rude, right? Tonight… first date. Awk-ward! This is supposed to be about you and me. Not him."

"Roxanne," he gently suggested, holding her gaze. "You don't have to hide it from me… I've known all along."_  
_

She blinked at him blankly.

_"You've_ got a little Mega-crush."

She said nothing.

His heart beat faster. It was so rare to see her lose her composure. And over him. _How exciting._ "And, you know... there's nothing wrong with indulging in a little... fantasy." He bit his lip as he watched her, caught like a deer in headlights, in disbelief at the accuracy with which his shots in the dark were exposing her most hidden thoughts. _Has she really thought about me like that?_ "I can admit you're right about me too. I do admire him in some ways. I've studied him for years after all, just like you." He lifted her hand to his mouth again. "And I've sometimes wondered… what it might be like to have the power he has. I've even imagined… what it must be like to kidnap you…"

_Ooo_, he cringed_, that sounded massively creepy. Hope she doesn't get the idea Bernard is some stalker. Crap, did I push that too far?_ He kissed her fingers slowly and watched her over the backs of them, thinking about his words, turning them over in her mind.

"He could be... He was almost... provocative sometimes." As soon as she said it, it came to her in a rush how much she missed it. Waking up to find her hands bound yet again, to see him smiling wickedly over her. The sudden rush of nervousness and excitement, followed by irritation – mostly with herself for being inconvenienced yet excited and nervous once again, every time - and wondering what he was going to do. The flirting banter and the tension between them. The possibility each time that _this_ time, maybe, he might finally do something they both knew he shouldn't. "But he never did anything to me. He could have. I mean, he keeps insisting he's sooo black-hearted." She paused, thoughtful and frowning to herself. "But then why didn't he do the one thing to me that really would have been wrong? While he had me there… tied up and helpless…" She was staring off over his shoulder somewhere, almost pouting. "Not even a kiss."

"Don't you wish he had?" he whispered and saw her pull her attention back to him. "Just leaned forward…" He imitated his own words. "…and kissed you…" He saw her eyes close as their lips met and wondered what she was imagining. She kept her mouth from pursing against his. _Yes, she probably wouldn't kiss me back. She'd have to pretend she didn't want it._ He took her jaw in his hand, turning her face toward his, kissing her more fully. He could feel her let herself begin to kiss back and murmured, "I could make it all come true for you, Roxanne. Play it out... to the end you wanted and never had."

"Bernard…" Her voice was thick with the temptation she felt at his offer. "You don't have to-"

"But I want to," he interrupted. "I would enjoy it sooo much."

She looked at him in surprise. _This is first time we've even been together._ "But… I'd feel bad that-"

He had a sudden blinding inspiration. "I can even dress the part."

"What?"

"I've got a costume. Cosplay… from… when I was in college and made the con circuits." He knew about those. Had attended one that had been held in the Metro Man Museum and hadn't even had to hide. It had been incredibly freeing, not to mention hilariously ironic, mingling on his rival's turf with people who were seeing him as himself without even realizing it _was _him being himself, taking photos with him and having fun until some brainless twit had insisted the collar on his cape was all wrong and his boots were too tall. "I'll just go get it." Quickly disentangling himself from her, he jumped up and headed for the door.

"Wait – you carry it with you?"

He stopped short. "No, it's… in my car."

She frowned. "I thought you walked."

_Argh, think fast, genius!_ "I did! From here." Seeing her confusion, he added, "I was early for our date and... parked outside and thought about coming up here to pick you up, even though I knew we agreed to meet at the restaurant. Um… but then I got nervous and… decided I should just follow our original plan. And I just walked the rest of the way to the restaurant." Two fingers nervously pantomimed him walking along.

"Oh."

_I think she bought it._ He watched her mulling it over and patted the air, "I'll be right back," slipping out the door before she could protest again.

Standing in the hall outside her apartment, he tried to gauge the amount of time it would take to get down to the entrance of the building and back up while wrestling with his conscience yet again. _But she wants __**me**__! She as much as admitted it... I'm only giving her what she wants..._ As the pinch in his gut subsided a little, he twisted the face of the watch and turned back to the closed door behind him again. _Oh god, I hope this works_.

Roxanne had risen from the couch and was standing looking out the windows that joined her balcony, heart pounding in anticipation. She was excited, nervous, and aroused all at once. _Am I really going to say yes to this?_ Some sort of warning bell was going off in her head, but she wanted to ignore it. Megamind fantasies… she shouldn't have them… but she did. And here was a chance to indulge… _This is wrong_.

Hearing him returning, she turned around. "Bernard, I-"

Her words dried up, seeing him standing with his back to the door. He leaned against it until the latch caught with a quiet snick. Her mouth dropped open. "Oh wow…" Seeing Megamind standing there, the beginnings of a smile curling the corner of his mouth, she felt a renewed rush of nervousness. Could she really reveal to someone just how much she wanted this? She'd always fought to keep that intense attraction hidden, hardly daring to admit it to herself, and now Bernard would know… everything... if she let herself go. And watching him slowly walk her way, she wanted to. Very much. "That's a… a very realistic costume."

"It is. Very realistic."

As he drew closer, she tried to fight the impulse to back away from those intense eyes. Just like Megamind's. Her entire body grew taut... watching his sinuous movement... until he was standing in front of her. _He even has the goatee._ It stood out, sleek but not painted on. She could see each silky hair. _Must be spirit gum_. "That was a quick change."

_Oops, too fast._ "Record time," he demured, sweeping a hand down her arm and lifting her hand in his. "I couldn't wait to get back to you." Brushing her fingers with his mouth again, he studied the way she appeared to be mesmerized, frozen, staring at him. "Am I frightening you?"

Roxanne swallowed, fascinated as she watched the blue lips touch her skin. "No." Her voice sounded small.

Megamind smiled wider, and taking her hand more firmly in his, started toward her bedroom.

"Wait… I don't think he would… move that fast."

"Really?" _I believe he would!_

"Yeah. I mean. He's never even let himself kiss me," she argued, still stunned by the elaborate costume that had transformed Bernard. The tight suit defined every muscle, outlined in the cold night lights of the city, showing how fit he actually was. _All that walking._ She wondered how he had made the headpiece so seamless. How he got it on. It looked exactly like...

Megamind turned back toward her and saw her take a step back. He followed her until her back was against the windows. "I'm sure he wanted to… so many times…"

He put his hands flat on the glass behind her and leaned closer, until his body was grazing hers. Her eyes darted between his, and as he slowly moved in for a kiss, she turned her face aside with a little nervous huff.

"Oooh... don't pretend, my sweet little reporter..." he growled in her ear. Her knees felt wobbly as his mouth moved forward, lips dotting the edge of her lips as he said, "I _know_ you want this."

Roxanne tried not to squirm as her whole body began to tingle and beg. She couldn't believe how well he played his part. And how much it turned her on. Her chest heaved and a gasp escaped her as she felt the tip of his tongue slip along the corner of her mouth as well. _God, if Megamind had ever done that..._ "Bernard!"

"No, no," he scolded. A hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her to him, the other still on the window beside her head. Looking at him quickly, she watched his lips drawing closer to hers. "Megamind."

She'd never been this near to that blue skin or black leather before. Her hands ran up over the spiky mantle on his shoulders, halfway between pushing him away and grabbing him closer. _It's just like his_, she marveled over the shiny points as she heard him breathe, "Say it."

His nose was on hers, barely touching it, toying with her. The zing between their skin made her ache. "Megamind."

"Yes… You want him…" He paused. "I am him." _There! I told her! _His conscience immediately called a foul. He knew it didn't really count. Looking at her, so close now, he sighed inside._ If only you knew… if I could tell you. _He could see she was intrigued and aroused but still resisting._ What if I told her, right now? Would she push me away?_

Again, she felt a stab of guilt for letting Bernard be someone else when they had only just gotten to the point of sharing such intimacy. "But Bern-"

Megamind almost cringed at the name. "Please… Please call me by my name."

_Your name is Bernard. But he's role-playing. Ok. And apparently really into it_. She knew some people immersed themselves fully, lost themselves in their characters. Well, if he didn't mind, she wouldn't either. "Megamind…" she whispered, feeling the tip of his nose slide along her cheek.

The way she said it made him weak in the knees. "Yes…" _  
_

His breath was warm on her ear, her skin. Skin. She had to wonder about that makeup. _Stop wondering and just go with it! If I look in the mirror later and I'm covered in blue, who cares?! _His mouth was moving back toward hers now. Lips touched the edge of hers. She began to kiss him back, but he chuckled deep in his throat and pulled his tantalizing mouth just out of reach. "No, no, Roxanne. You're supposed to resist."

She'd been ready to have that first taste of blue… and pouted slightly, looking down at his firm lips she wanted to feel even more now that they looked like the evil overlord's. So very much. The way his top lip protruded slightly over the lower one… and the way the corners curled up as he smirked… no makeup could recreate that. She hadn't noticed before just how much Bernard's mouth was like that blue alien's. "If that's how we're playing, then _you_ have to call me Ms Ritchi."

He grinned at her, raising a brow. "If you insist… _Ms Ritchi_…"

The way he half growled it, drawing the sounds slowly between his teeth made her flush hot all over and her mouth water.

_If we're going to play this right, we need a chair_. He was about to move to the table for one when he remembered. Bernard wouldn't know about that. "Tell me about how he kidnaps you."

She was still looking closely at him, her curiosity about the amazing outfit and the similarity between the two men tempered by the intense desire it all stirred up. The shadows of the rain on the window seemed to trickle over his skin as well, obscuring where the lines of the costume must be and making it look even more real. And he smelled of leather, just like Megamind. And that sweet cologne Bernard wore as well. They blended to make an intoxicating scent. "They always knock me out, but I told you that. And then, there's usually this chair…"

He released her and moved quickly to grab one, cape swishing behind him as he returned. "Like this?"

"A lot like that one, yeah." Had she unconsciously chosen a dining set with chairs similar to the one that was always provided for her kidnappings? She'd never noticed before. But seeing him motion with a flourish for her to sit in it, she obliged. "And he ties my feet together…" She crossed her ankles to demonstrate just how. "And my hands behind me like this." She clasped her hands behind her to show him, looking up at him with her blue eyes.

_No rope… _There was some in the car, too far away._ No matter._ "For this little scenario, we'll just pretend I've shown up with a… slightly different plan in mind than usual… And I won't tie you up." He stroked along her shoulder as he passed behind the chair then leaned down over her other shoulder to whisper, "In fact, I promise I won't do anything to you that you don't want me to. Not... a single... thing."

She was surprised to find herself a little disappointed about not being bound. And again that seductive voice made her weak inside, but she decided it was about time she got into her own role as well. "Nothing that I don't want you to do?" Her eyes sparkled a challenge at him. "Well then, you won't get very far! I've gotten very good at learning to resist his, I mean, _your feeble_ advances."

"We shall see…" He moved in front of her, smirking at his victim's empty taunts. It was almost too easy now, knowing she was only playing.

He was too far away, standing over her like that. "You're supposed to have a chair too. But I don't have one like his."

"Who needs a chair," he murmured, bending down with a suddenness that startled her, closing the space between them until his nose was nearly on hers, his hands on the sides of her seat, adding in a sultry tone, "When you won't be in yours for long anyway."

Roxanne laughed, enjoying the implied challenge and his confidence. She hadn't expected Bernard to do such a good job playing Megamind, but he not only looked the part, he could act it too. "As you said..." she brought her mouth close enough to his that he could feel her words hum in what little air was left between them. "We'll see about that…"

_Ohh, astounding... teasing just like she always does, but this time..._ Before she could pull away he dropped a kiss on her lips, but she sat back with her crooked little smile and shook her head. "Huh uh. It won't be that easy, bad boy."

"Bad boy!" An eyebrow shot up at the way she used the moniker he'd been tarred with all his life. He bit his lip. _How titillating…to hear her call me that in such a... playful way._ "I haven't even started being a _bad_ _boy_… _yet._" As he bit off the final word, he dropped to his knees, grabbed around her waist, and roughly pulled her closer to the edge of the chair all in one smooth motion, her knees pushed off to one side of his legs. A sharp squeak escaped her at his bold opening move and the way his eyes were piercing hers and, half expecting more roughish treatment, she braced her back as his massive head darted toward her neck... but was startled to feel his goatee glide along her skin with the faintest pressure.

Roxanne squirmed and bit her lip. _That tickles… and, oh my gosh, I like it way too much_. The little black stripe that graced Megamind's angular chin had always bewitched her. More than once she had found herself staring at it, bored by yet another evil monologue but not with the way it danced under his mouth. And now he was using it...

How had Bernard guessed? Hot exhalations on her skin accompanied its heavenly torture. And then, only when he'd slid it all up the length of her neck did she realize she'd played along willingly, baring it for him. But before she could attempt to correct her mistake, he dropped his chin into the deep vee of her dress and began to serpentine the furry strip back and forth slowly over her exposed skin, feeling her chest rising and falling faster now... hearing almost a whimper. She should tell him to stop... she didn't _want_ to tell him to stop! Suddenly he dared to suck at the base of her neck, drawing her skin into his mouth and across his teeth. _Like it...WAY too much._ She finally fumbled for a protest, gasping, "I thought you said… you weren't going to do anything I didn't want you to do."

"I'm not," he argued in a low purr against her skin, continuing his oral stimulation. "You want this... you want it _bad_."

_Oh, you have no idea... so bad._ Roxanne grasped her hands together tightly behind her. "No, I don't." Her hushed lie wouldn't have fooled anyone, especially considering the way she couldn't stop herself tipping her head to the side to give him more room to work, wishing he'd maybe move just a little closer to her ear.

"Then _why_ aren't you pushing me away… _Ms_ Ritchi…?" His grip tightened around her hips, moved lower, got his hands full of that impressive derriere. The end of his tongue drifted slowly upward next, tasting her skin, ending at her ear… teasing the lobe.

"Because…" she breathed heavily, feeling a hot rush like a slow-motion bomb in her chest. "Because my hands are tied behind me."

He paused, feeling up a little higher and realizing she was still holding them there. _Guess she wanted that detail after all._ "Shall I untie you then?"

She shook her head weakly.

"As you wish. But you know… this is only going to be to my advantage," he warned.

She felt his hands start to slide upward along her sides… slowly, pushing her away until she was leaning back in her chair. He stared down at her body, watching his own hands move over the shape of her silhouette. Taking his time, memorizing her curves under the cool fabric of the dress she had picked out to wear just for him, the way she felt… he slid them around behind her shoulders, swaying toward her as though he was going to pull her close, his face mere inches from hers, watching her reaction closely… Her eyes darted over every feature of his face, getting closer to hers, turning to bring his lips right next to hers... and then, without a kiss between them, felt those smooth black gloves drift back down again, moving forward… his jaw slackened as he felt the heavy fullness of her breasts pass under his fingers, drifting over and adding the slightest pressure to the harder centers that stood out, interrupting the smooth surface of her bodice.

"Megamind!" Feeling those gloved digits making themselves so familiar with her body alarmed her somehow. She wanted it, but...

Quickly leaning close, he whispered in her ear, "Tell me to stop. Just tell me, and I will."

As she closed her eyes, she felt his body draw near and his smooth cheek move against hers, then his lips on hers. She barley held back from returning their pressure.

_But she didn't turn away that time either. Come on, Roxanne…_ "I promised I wouldn't do anything you don't want me to do… and I won't… All you have to say is 'stop'." He pressed another tender kiss into the corner of those unyielding lips, still refusing to participate. He was sure her heart wasn't in that alarmed cry, but he had to give her a way out. For his own peace of mind. A way for him to know if he really had her full consent. He suddenly understood he wanted that more than anything, despite the game of victim and villain in progress.

He tried to slow his raging passion, impatient to be given free reign. His hands waited around her torso, giving her time to think while he let his lips continue coaxing, feeling her quick breathing moving the ribs under his fingers even through the fine, thin leather. Her mouth was relaxed, lips parted, nearly trembling. He kissed first her upper lip, so softly, then her lower lip, even more slowly, savoring it, drawing it between his slightly. "I'll stop if you want me to, but... oh, _please_ don't tell me to stop."

She just managed to stop herself turning her head and engaging those firm blue lips fully. Her mouth fell open more with the effort of holding back, and a long breath escaped her as the tip of his tongue snuck just inside the velvety lining past her lipstick. _Ohh…dear god…_

* * *

_**Reader, you may not proceed to chapter 2 for a meloncholy ending or to chapter 3 for a happier continuation.**_


	2. Melancholy

_**A mel-on-choly ending:**_

Having used every affectionate gesture and gentle seduction he could think of to persuade her to give in, he began to be dismayed at her resolve. Despite what she had said and the hope she'd given him, a seed of doubt began to grow. Had she changed her mind? Was she merely being stubborn now that he was playing the part of the city's Evil Overlord? Had he misunderstood, hearing what he wanted to hear, or… maybe he never really had a chance this way. _But she hasn't said stop._ He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his blue nose softly along her cheek, trying to ignore the dying of his self-confidence giving way to miserable uncertainty rising in its place... leaving him impotent to continue on in the passionate, confident manner he'd been employing. Tentative now, he drew closer to the mouth that still kept him waiting, hands frozen in place at her hips, afraid that maybe she really didn't want his touch. Couldn't bear the thought of it. Because, even if she thought he was Bernard… he looked like himself. His heart plummeted further with the unwanted thought that this was yet another battle Megamind could never win. Roxanne's heart.

Placing a kiss softly on her lip again, he slumped a little. "Please, Roxanne… please…?"

The longing in his voice snapped her out of her haze of enjoying his attention but proudly and stubbornly refusing to give in, making him work for what he wanted. _Wait... Megamind wouldn't act like that. Would he?_

Her dress still smelled faintly of the dark, cool rain that had caught them rushing into the building. A cold smell, bleak and lonely, like rejection... yet underneath it glowed the promising scent of her skin and her perfume... softness, femininity, kindness, warmth... Things missing so starkly from his life, a gaping hole he had tried to fill in the only way he could; kidnapping her over and over to have her near, just for a little while... only to see her snatched away in the name of _heroism_. And now she was slipping away again. Except, this time... there was no one to blame but himself.

How would they even go on after this, he wondered hopelessly. What would be the point of continuing on as Bernard, knowing there was no hope for him if he revealed who he really was. But then, if there was no hope for him, all he had left was enjoying her company _as_ Bernard. Stuck in a no-man's land of unfulfilled desire. He found himself pleading, shamelessly, "I need you... want you so much… I have for _sooo long_." He stopped and sighed. "But if you don't… want me, if you can't…" A hard swallow. "Tell me now." Another shaky sigh wafted against her skin as he rested his wide smooth forehead against hers. He'd risked so much. And it was falling apart. Now. Now that he was himself. He should have known.

She sat stock-still, listening intently with a slight frown, taken aback by that aching tone.

"I can't take-"

Suddenly her lips stopped the flow of words. True to character or not, his heartfelt pleading had touched her, made her suddenly feel guilty for playing hard to get. She hadn't meant to make him doubt that she wanted to be there or had any idea that he would take it all so personally. Hurting him. As Bernard or as... Was he still playing Megamind's part? Did he really think...?

As their mouths met, a moan escaped him, humming against her lips. His hands left her sides, sliding around her to hold her tightly as she unclasped her own hands from behind her back, running them up his arms and around his shoulders as they kissed on and on, ignoring the spikes pricking at her. Megamind... or was he being Bernard now? _Why did he say that… 'for so long'? _Her fingers traced up along the shape of his skull, over his blue... skin... warm... alive. _This is not latex…_ Her eyes popped open, alarmed… then slowly closed again. He kissed her like she was the last bit of air on earth, and he was suffocating. Like they were lovers who had been apart for far too long. It left her hungry for more, feeling wanted that way, no matter what crazy ideas were surging through her head.

He rose from his knees and lifted her to her feet as well, never missing a beat, never letting her lips leave his. But standing he could hold her so much closer. The wonder of having her body pressed all along his… _heaven_, he thought, squeezing her tighter.

All too soon she broke away. "What's going on here…" she asked, slightly breathless, looking at him skeptically. "Bernard?"

His wide guilty eyes searched hers before he shook his head slowly.

"Not Bernard…" Her eyes took in his features again, passing over them all hastily, looking for seams or smeared makeup or... anything. Any scrap of evidence to prove that her fears weren't... _couldn't_ be right. Her fingers trembled as she touched his face. "It's not a costume, is it?"

"No," he quietly agreed. "It's not."

She immediately looked stricken. "Where is he? What did you do with him?"

He opened his mouth but couldn't speak. "He's right here," he finally forced himself to croak. "I am Bernard."

* * *

_**Ooo, abrupt, I know. I'll leave the fighting and violence which might possibly follow to your imagination; Roxanne hurling small objects, using some very unladylike language... Or would she? Hmmm...**_

_**Didn't like it? Well then, try a different ending! You might like to get a running start off the end of the first chapter again before jumping to 3.**_


	3. Not So Melancholy

_**Continuing on not-so-meloncholy:**_

"Sweetheart," he whispered, noticing a tremble in her lip and knowing she was weakening. "... mmm, my sweet little _vvvictim_…" his teeth dragged over his lower lip to draw out the wicked tease before the tip of his tongue went sliding along her upper lip again, so faintly her own tongue moved sideways in her mouth, dying to meet it. She stopped just shy of turning toward him for more. "... so soft..." he marveled as his nose moved along her cheek. "And there's nothing soft in my life, Roxanne... _nothing_."

A flash of sympathy followed his whispered complaint. Yes, his must be an empty, loveless life... As if she needed more reasons... Her resolve was eroding away quickly now, like sand on the beach rushing out from under her feet.

"...oh, absolutely _edible_..." His tongue was hot on her earlobe, drawing it between his teeth, gently biting and drawing away with a throaty growl. "Mmm, I'll bet the rest of you is just as delicious as this..." He bit again, feeling her turn her head toward him ever so slightly. "...and I'm _sooo hungry for you_..." he growled hoarsely around his tongue and teeth, gloved fingers at her hips digging a little deeper into her flesh.

A silent whimper closed her throat over a vivid picture of his flexuous blue mouth and red tongue exploring more of her body. Leaving her lobe behind, wet and turning cold, his lips started back toward her mouth again, teeth grazing her skin, nipping her here and there as he slowly left a trail of moistened skin along her jaw. Realizing that she'd stopped breathing, she knew she couldn't hang on much longer.

"_Roxaanne_... I'll do anything you want."

That one word - her name, a husky moan in his throat as though he was begging for her - nearly became her undoing right then. "No…" she whispered in a feeble protest, distracted by the way her lips were catching against his, firm, sticky from the moisture of their hot breath on each other as his mouth waited, within reach, touching hers. "You... have to... Ms Ritchi." She burned to just give in. _God, I can't even talk right._

"Oh, but I know you too well for that… Rox-_anne,_" he said again deliberately. "Had you so many times… made you mine in every fantasy. Just like I want to now."

"Ha... I'm sure," she roused herself enough to argue. "Evil masterminds who... who get off on power trips and having their way and getting everything they want… You probably fantasize about every woman you see," she accused him, blurting out something she didn't want to be true but feared was anyway.

"No." He stopped, pulling back to look at her intently, not a trace of guile in his wide green eyes. "Only you."

The thought of Megamind not only entertaining the kind of obscene thoughts of them that she had as he sat holed up in that dark Lair but being devoted to her alone… It made her body throb, pulsing against the heavy beat of her heart while her blue eyes got lost in the depths of that luminous green hue. She could hardly admit she wished it was true, but here was Bernard laying her heart bare again. Maybe that's how he imagined Megamind really felt about her. What if he did? Had he dreamt up the same sort of erotic scenarios she had? Felt the same temptation to act them out...? Did he... could he really, in that self-centered black heart, not want anybody else?

He was still gazing at her longingly, eyes roving over her face. "You should be mine…" He brought his nose close enough to nuzzle hers, his hands around her waist trying to pull her closer. "We're made for each other, Roxanne. All this time... it's been killing me." Lips close enough to breathe against hers, touch hers, he coaxed, "And I know you want it too... you want to be mine…"

Her brain agreed with those hushed words completely. _God, yes._ But she held on, a good little game player. "… no I don't…" Her tightly clasped hands were sweaty and shaking with the effort of staying behind her._  
_

"Then tell me to _stop_," he challenged at the same time as he seemed to collapse a little at the thought that she might. So much so that his massive head dropped below her chin. Then he suddenly hugged her, closing his eyes with his cheek pressed to her heart. Roxanne barely held back from returning his embrace, touched at the sudden show of affection that seemed so genuine, heartfelt... He turned his head slowly into her chest, nose dragging over her, smelling her warmth and sultry sweetness, then rallying once more to rise, following the ruffled neckline of her dress up.

He played the part so well all she could think was that she would give nearly anything for her blue bad boy to be that way. Beg for her... but be willing to hold himself in check for her until she was ready. Only the desire to hear him talk that way just a little more made her keep holding back, certain she would never hear such a thing from Megamind for real. It was Bernard giving her just what she wanted, and she felt guilty again for a moment, knowing it wasn't Bernard she really wanted to hear it from. She hardly even felt the prick of the spiked gloves across her back as she laid her cheek against his smooth bald head. "I..."

His lips felt hot pressing into the hollow above her collarbone. "You want me… I know you do. And I want you…" His mouth was brushing her cheek now. "…I have for soo long… but I would never..." Hearing a kind of desperation in his words, she suddenly turned her head, just enough to feel the touch of his lips against hers again… she couldn't resist allowing her full bottom lip to tease against his, finding it harder and harder to say no. _Why am I saying no again?_

_So close…_ And finally as he pressed yet another tender kiss onto the corner of her mouth, she pressed back, her lips still soft, unsure. "Angel, I could never force you… hurt you… So you have to tell me. Pleease..."

Finally she broke, unable to deny the intense desire making her body and her heart ache any longer, rewarding his patient efforts with a full, surging connection, the breath she'd forgotten she'd been holding leaving her in a shuddering rush, relaxing her entire body. Engaging that sapphire mouth that had tantalized and coaxed and seduced with an enthusiasm that betrayed her, she knew she was revealing to Bernard just how much she wanted this alien man who had murdered the city's hero, but in the emotional liberation of finally giving in to his seductions, she didn't care. She couldn't hold out anymore, couldn't make herself want to anymore, and it felt so good to let herself go at last and feel his arms slide around her fully. She felt flushed with the sudden acknowledgment that she was a step closer to fulfilling her fantasy. _I can't believe I'm doing this…_

* * *

_**Reader, choose again: go to chapter 4 if you think Roxanne would become conflicted about all this, or chapter 5 if you're thinking... eh, not so much!**_


	4. Conflicted

_**As much as I wanted to put up pairs of endings simultaneously, the next few days are going to be exceptionally busy for me, and I need to do a lot of work on chapter 5 yet. I don't know when it'll get done. So I'm going ahead and giving you chapter 4 now. More to come...**_

* * *

_**Conflicted (following chapter 3):**_

Feeling her give in at last, he pulled her closer until she was barely perched on the edge of the chair, ecstatic at the return of her willing participation. He reached down to draw her hands out from behind her back, pressing them to his chest as they kissed. They slid up over his spiky mantle again… her palms passing lightly over the sharp points as she felt his long fingers wrap around the swell of her hips, then down to where she sat pressed against the chair's seat, following those full curves around and then all down her thighs toward the edge of her dress.

As his tongue slipped into her mouth again and she engaged it unhesitatingly, her guilty conscience struggled to make a comeback. How could something feel so right and so good but... so wrong too? Why did she want this mysterious and sexy and way too often dorky blue miscreant more than she wanted gentle, sweet, average-guy Bernard? Part of her ached to complete the intimate embrace, see the scenario through just this once for the physical satisfaction of her long denied appetite if nothing else, but part of her felt disgusted, using Bernard... wanting Megamind. _Oh come on... it's only pretend. And I do want Bernard too._ That didn't make her feel better.

He'd played the part so well so far, somehow seeming to know exactly how she wanted her captor to be, to act, what to say... She wanted to give in to the fantasy completely, no holds barred, letting herself forget everything else in order to believe this really was Megamind, even if only for the night, finding out just how Bernard would play Megamind's part in making love to her._  
_

That desire burning all through her made her surge toward him, pressing her body against his, hearing and feeling a surprised huff from her partner fill her mouth followed by an increased enthusiasm in his kisses. _It's not making love though... **he** doesn't love you. Why do you want him so much? And why is Bernard doing this? _The turmoil she felt made her shrink inside, crying out that it was all wrong. Wrong to have such an intense attraction to the alien who terrorized her city, who selfishly inconvenienced her and forced her to be part of his plans, using her as bait over and over again, who killed their hero - her friend - and laughed about it. She couldn't seem to stop kissing him though.

Despite feeling completely overjoyed and enraptured by her surrender, he sensed the turmoil she felt. As they kissed, she began to fight against his mouth, turning her head side to side, though not away from him entirely, still returning his kisses... but somehow becoming more and more unwilling. When he began to subside, questioning himself... was he missing something?... she suddenly turned back to him again, breathing hard against his mouth, flicking her tongue over it. He waited uncertainly, but feeling that slick pink tip rub slowly over his lips, he just had to touch it with his own and felt hers dance at the end of it, tantalizing him, inviting him in... With a renewed rush of confidence and desire he pressed her backward, leaning over her in the chair... trying to plunge in further, but suddenly she seemed to resist him again...

Burning with the passion she kept fanning into a blaze, he frowned and paused once more, nose to nose with her. Chest heaving, she was staring at his lips... reached to touch them with a finger, nuzzled them with her own... then rose up and kissed him again, her hand along his jaw, fingertips at his ear. _Be gentle? Is that what she wants?_ He tried, kissing along her jaw, over her mouth, a hand on her back supporting her, trying to hold back the raging lust she kept inflaming. Her hands sank to biceps, gripping them, digging her fingertips in with an audible whine, pulling her body up and against his. "Me-eg..." Hearing that begging tone did something to him... brought out an aggressiveness that she again seemed to welcome, baring her neck for him and urging him with a whispered yes. And which he obliged happily... but soon felt her recoil with maddening predictability. Was she playing the victim or did she want him to stop?

He was getting confused, the yoyo-ing starting to drive him crazy. He ached to take the decision out of her hands, show her what he was sure she wanted... but he knew that would be a betrayal. He'd destroy her trust in Bernard - the only way he had her trust - and destroy his chance of ever coming out in the open to her about his identity as well. No, she had to come to him on her own. Pressing the question, he slid his hands up the edge of her skirt, drawing her legs apart and alongside his, feeling no resistance. His heart galloped and bucked inside him as she tightened them around his waist, pulling him in.

But as his black-gloved fingers slid up along her now bared thighs, his palms making warm, lazy circles over the muscles, she tensed again, her hands dragging over his spikes harder, driving the pointy ends into her skin, punishing herself for liking it all so much. Then as the barbs on one glove grazed her leg, she gasped, breaking away from his mouth but immediately pushing into it again, hard… almost frantic... tearing at his lip.

He stopped and closed his eyes, relishing the way she deliberately pulled back with her teeth, digging into the soft blue skin, making it burn on the verge of pain until it slipped from her mouth... A whining moan held in her throat summed up her conflicting emotions. He stopped to look at her, listening to the heavy breathing between them once again, realizing now that she just wasn't sure herself what she wanted. Did she feel better for hurting him? It hadn't been unpleasant, but he could tell she was acting out of more than passion. She was torn.

As they held each other's gaze, he was amazed at how clearly he could see the mix of lust and uncertain reluctance, creating something like fear in her eyes. She had never been afraid of him before. Or was she afraid mostly of herself? "Roxanne… you can bite me all you want. I don't mind. You can even hurt me if that makes you happier about this. But I won't stop unless you tell me to. I don't... I won't force you, and I _don't_ want there to be any confusion about this later. But you have to say stop… if that's what you want."

"I don't…" A whimper accompanied the torment clouding her blue eyes. Why did he have to be so gentle? Caring. Understanding. That was the Bernard in him coming out. And right now she wanted Megamind. Wanted him to take control so she didn't have to decide. But that acknowledgement horrified her. "I want…"

Suddenly his desire was overshadowed by a welling of sympathy and deep affection the likes of which he'd never experienced before because, for the first time, it was devoid of any self-seeking. He wanted, not just to have her for his own satisfaction and fulfillment or even to convince her of her own feelings or his, but to comfort her. Reassure her. For her sake. To make her whole again. Taking his hands from under her dress, he put his arms around her and hugged her close. "Roxanne…" As much as he wanted to be with her, there was no way he was willing to push her, ask her to do anything she wasn't sure she wanted.

"Ah! Spikes..."

"I'm sorry." He cursed the shiny hardware of his elbow-length gloves and held her close with the palms of his hands flat on her back instead.

A quavering sigh met his ears. "Bernard. I'm sorry, I-"

"Not Bernard…" he quietly insisted into her hair. "Not Bernard." He hated the uncertainty he could hear in her voice, knowing he himself had weakened that self-possessed assurance he loved about her. He was hurting his Roxanne, breaking her down. Acknowledging that killed him.

She pressed her face to his neck, the black collar bending out of the way. Why would he insist on continuing the game now? The interruption seemed jarring, final to her, forcing them abruptly out of their roles. "You're so sweet. But Megamind wouldn't be like this. He wouldn't stop and-"

"You don't think he would?" he interrupted to ask, withdrawing to look at her and gently touch her cheek. "Roxanne, I... He cares about you. So much."

His eyes pleaded with her not to think of the man in question as some insensitive beast who would have his way no matter what. And although she badly wanted to believe he was right, she just couldn't. There was no reason to let go of her fixed ideas. "What makes you so sure of that?" She lifted a spiked arm in her hand. "This is him. In real life, he forces me to be with him and then keeps me at a distance. How can I let myself get close? Even in a fantasy?"

He thought a moment, gazing sadly at the outfit he'd adopted long ago. It _was_ designed to keep people at a distance. To impress and intimidate... so they couldn't hurt him. But not her. "It doesn't have to be that way," he said, suddenly reaching for the clasp at his neck, dropping the spike-topped cape off his shoulders then beginning to pull off his gloves as well.

_Are we still playing? He's saying this as Megamind, or..._ As the first glove came off and his hand was revealed, she squinted in the dark at it. It looked… blue? Why would he color the parts of his skin that weren't even going to show? And how could he have done it so fast…?

Having struggled with the second clinging glove and finally pulled it off, he looked up to find her staring in consternation. _Oh… my hands… _How could he have forgotten? Maybe the truth was he had done it with unconscious intention, revealing himself because he just wanted her to know the truth so much. He braced himself. The backlash was sure to be brutal.

She looked up at his face. "Bernard?" her voice quavered to a squeak, eyes wide in disbelief.

He shook his head silently.

"...Megamind," she breathed. Her face slammed closed like a door. Emotions shut down in shock. "Oh god… No... No, no, noooo!" She felt panicked, wanting to leap from the chair but half afraid he would grab her, she grasped the edges of the seat she was sitting on instead. Any moment she expected to hear triumphant, mocking laughter. "How could you do this? How _did_ you do this?"

Silently he showed her the watch's ability to change his form and cringed at her reaction, horrified as she looked him up and down, drawing back from him on her seat, mouth open wide. "All this time? Why… oh my god… My GOD!" She covered her face with her hands. "You... NO!... Oh..." She whimpered between her fingers, not knowing how to get away from him. "This is so embarrassing…" She thought of everything she had revealed to him, trustingly, and felt dizzy. Everything. For weeks… and then tonight… She wanted to disappear into the floor.

"No," he said, pulling her hands away from her face, gently but firmly. Her eyes were hard, fearful, welling with tears. "It's not… not embarrassing."

"It is!" she shouted back. He flinched, watching one wet pearl slide down her cheek in spite of her rage. "You got me to… to tell you _everything_!" Her flushed face was crumpling, almost ready to break into sobs.

"And I've shown you everything about me in return," he insisted quickly, desperate to ward off her hysteria, hoping she would listen. "I didn't really mean to trick you… I just-"

"Why?" she demanded, tears suddenly forgotten. "_Why_ did you _do_ this!"

He looked miserably away at the floor, then back to her, feeling his own lips trembling. "I wanted… I wanted… to be with you."

"Oh! Well! Good work there. You nearly got what you wanted!"

"No! Not like that. It was an accident at first." He found himself explaining in a rush, sensing what was probably his last chance to explain. "When we met in the museum that night. Right before I-" he winced, then rolled his eyes. "Before I blew it up. You almost caught me getting everything ready... And he was there... so I disguised myself as him. And then...the way you talked to him… to _me_, when I was him…" He stopped, his eyes pleading with her. "I wanted your company. To talk with you like that. More. Every day. You'd never just... talked to me before.. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. I couldn't get enough. It was so nice, being… normal with you. Enjoying your company..." He stopped, looking at her with a kind of fear. "Roxanne, I love your company…" The lump in his throat bobbled once before he said so quietly, holding her gaze, that it looked as though he was only mouthing the words. "I love you."

She huffed, touched by his reasons, but in complete disbelief of his final declaration, indignant and mortified at being exposed and laid bare against her will by tricks and lies. "This isn't how you treat people you love."

His face crumpled. "Would you have given me a chance any other way?" he cried out forlornly.

Roxanne froze. She thought of herself as open-minded, but she knew… no, she wouldn't have. She hadn't.

"Nobody has ever given me a chance!" he protested when she remained silent. "You're the only one! …the only one that ever even looked at me differently. I knew you did, even when you were acting like you couldn't stand me."

Roxanne opened her mouth to say something but stopped, listening… thinking.

"But even you… you can't get past _this_." Bitterly he gestured to himself, and she knew he wasn't referring to his suit with its hardware and leather. His eyes pleaded with her. "You and I…" He sighed. "I _know_ it was wrong of me, but at least we found out we _have_ something… despite those roles we always play... And I admit I… I went on with it, tricked you because…" His head sank miserably, eyes dropping to her lap where the rumpled fabric of her dress still bared most of her pale legs. "Because I thought… maybe, if I looked normal on the outside, you'd be able to really see me on the inside… and find out that… that the outside didn't matter so much…" he shrugged. His voice cracked and faded away. _She'll never forgive me. Excuse it all. Why should she?_

There was a long, terrible silence that seemed to drag on and on painfully. He couldn't make himself rise from kneeling in front of her or raise his eyes to look at her again. He simply waited for judgment, rejection, punishment.

"That was really you… the whole time?" he heard her ask.

He nodded mutely. "Not even acting a part. The first time I've ever just… been able to be myself with someone." _Besides Minion of course._

"The whole time…?" she demanded. "Prove it. How do I know you don't have Bernard tied up somewhere," she insisted.

"I know about the coffee," he said, suddenly looking up at her. When he had asked her to coffee one evening, hating to let her go and hoping to make their day together last just a little longer, she had admitted in a fit of honesty that she couldn't have the liquid stimulant after 5pm. It kept her awake, revved her up... made her horny. "You want some?" he asked now, his big green eyes hopeful.

A pause. Then Roxanne's somber expression broke into mirthless laughter born purely out of all the highly charged emotions churning inside her. _That is so much like… him! _The funny, innocent Bernard she knew... and ever-hopeful and persistent Megamind._ Both the same person? _She took his chin in her palm, searching his face, seeing a picture of despair that barely dared to hold out hope. Her heart broke and believed him despite her stinging pride. _Damn your green eyes and your blue lips and that... freaking sexy goatee!_ And suddenly she leaned forward to kiss him again. As he began to kiss back, she pulled away and slapped him hard across the face.

"Oww..." He grimaced, putting a hand to his cheek before looking back up at her angry face.

Having hurt him soothed her outraged pride a little._ He deserved that._ But she regretted it immediately, especially considering the way he kept looking at her... despondantly rubbing his cheek but willing to stay right there and take whatever she dished out, like a kicked puppy waiting to be picked up and petted again.

"Damn it, Megamind..." She kissed him again, and although it took a moment longer than before, he dared to kiss her back again. And this time she didn't stop him. Or punish him. Her lips pressed into his the way they had in the restaurant, their tension and release growing in intensity more and more until they were once again holding each other so tightly, crushing their mouths together with an urgency that betrayed the desire and pent-up frustration they both felt. Finally she pulled away, leaving him waiting breathlessly, searching her face. "I must be insane..." she murmured.

_It's probably best not to answer that one_, he thought, wisely remaining silent, feeling like he was hanging onto a slippery sliver of hope by his fingernails.

He tried very hard not to shy away as she raised a hand to his face again, but she only touched the edge of his lips. "I guess now you know… whether I wanted you to or not... that... I kind of like the outside. Too."

He stared at her. Stunned. Did she mean it? Or was she about to haul off and slap him again? Or start screaming. _Any second now. And I know I deserve it._

_Ohhh… _She knew her heart was beat._ Well... since he already knows anyway…_ She kissed him once and rested her forehead against his, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "What am I going to do with you?" she whispered.

He closed his eyes, holding her close and letting the relief wash over him, giving him chills. "I don't know, Roxanne... I'm hopeless."

She gave a short silent laugh and smiled ruefully in agreement, and they spent the next several minutes lost in this new awareness of who they were, simply holding and touching each other with a kind of incredulous wonder. Roxanne kept thinking about his two roles as she nuzzled his face and let him place soft, tentative kisses on her cheek. Slowly reconciling them in her mind until she could think of them as the same person, she realized in amazement that she wanted both. And could have both. And kissed him back.

It was so hard to disengage from those blue lips knowing now that they were the real deal. That he could use them with tenderness or assertiveness, satisfying her either way. But it was too soon to jump into all that yet. Not after having just found out who he really was. They should stop. There was so much to get straightened out. It didn't help that he kept trying to coax her closer, kissing along her skin with a tenderness that she found irresistible. She rallied her good sense determinedly just as he turned his head to the other side and pressed his lips to hers so longingly, caressing her, that she had to kiss back. And they were lost all over again, oblivious to everything else even as he stood shakily and raised her to her feet as well.

Finally he stopped, gazing at her in a daze, awed and grateful. Roxanne didn't realize she looked much the same way. Arms around him tightly, eyes following down his goatee, she realized the outside did matter. Very much. Just not the way he'd thought.

"Now," she began, feeling her heart thudding in her chest as she tried to wrest her thoughts away from the lean body she stood pressed up against. "What are we going to do about you taking over this city?"

-THE END-


	5. Not So Conflicted

_There's still conflicted feelings here. In a situation like this, I think there just has to be. Each person has to come to a reckoning within themselves of what's happened and what's happening. U__nless you want to go *completely* OOC for the fun of it. _My thanks to Chris Cline with whom I chatted about this fic early on, tossing around the idea of characters having a dominate tendency they are most likely to act upon but recognizing that, like all of us, the possibility remains that one might throw off the shackles and follow a less likely impulse instead. Exploring those kinds of scenarios can be fun as well as a little challenging as you try to keep the characters 'in character' at the same time. Don't know if you'll think I succeeded here, but I tried. Thank you for reading, especially for leaving feedback and reviews.

* * *

_Roxanne is not conflicted (er well, less):_

Feeling her give in at last, he reached down to draw her hands out from behind her back as he kissed her harder. She placed them without hesitation over his spiky shoulders again… her palms riding lightly over the sharp points, her fingers falling between them to drift over that smooth black leather as he reached for the swell of her hips._ Why oh why do I like his spikes and leather and... everything bad? So much?_ His hands slid lower to where she sat pressed against the chair's seat, following those heavy curves around, caressing their shape… coaxing her forward almost off the edge.

Cold metal brushed her knee, the buckle of his belt, when she moved her legs to either side of his hips, wrapping her heels around the back of his thighs. As the spikes began to bite into her palms, she slid her hands down over his chest and around instead, under the cape, where the hot, hard muscles of his back tensed and moved under her fingers as he slid his hands along the length of her thighs, pushing her skirt up out of the way.

Roxanne thought about her fantasies and about fighting the attraction she'd felt. At first it had been easy to dismiss in her indignation at the liberties he took with her time and freedom over and over again. But perversely the desire persisted, simmering below the surface, growing with every interaction, threatening to eventually erupt. It almost seemed like the more irritated she worked herself up to be, the more she wanted him.

It all came to a head when after a three week lapse in his usual activity Roxanne found herself sitting at work completely distracted with wondering, positively worrying over what could be the cause of his uncharacteristic absence. Irritated with the change in routine that kept her waiting on edge for him to show up... while he was nowhere to be found. It chaffed her that something that should be positive - his prolonged absence - was causing her so much agitation. Was he hurt somewhere? Was he sick? She knew he wasn't in the prison, she'd checked. Could he simply be sitting in his secret hideout, dejected and morose, out of ideas? Had he given up, moved on, moved away? Or could it be worse than that? An unexpected sense of loss flooded her. His was a dangerous line of work even outside the regular dust-ups he had with the city's massive hero.

Hardly likely, she'd roused herself to huff. Megamind would always be around. He was probably planning something more annoying than ever, and of course _she_ would be forced to be involved. And here she was just waiting for it to happen! She was tired of being the victim. Tired of being passive. What if she went looking for _him_ for once? She'd made some headway into finding his lair. With a little more investigative work...

Her thumb worked at the end of her pen, clicking it repeatedly as she sat at her desk, staring sightlessly ahead. What would it be like to turn the tables on him, take control of the situation... find him and try to stop him and maybe... exact revenge by demanding what _she_ wanted from him for once? _Well, just what do I want from him?_ Mentally she shied away from the answer. _...Oh, he'd like that way too much._ And what if she failed? Made him angry... found herself captured and at his mercy... feeling the antagonism between them but seeing something in his eyes... changing into... something else. Both of them realizing how they felt...

The clicking had stopped. She blinked her dry eyes, dismissing the idea as completely unrealistic and stood up, realizing from the stiffness in her legs how long she'd been sitting there. But the lurid thoughts persisted. She toyed with them a little as she busied herself with rearranging the papers on her desk before shutting the door firmly on those forbidden desires once more.

It was too late. The seed of the idea had taken root and sat in her chest heavily for the rest of the day, demanding to grow, making her even more antsy than before.

When she got home that evening, she poured a large glass of wine and gave in - well, it was only a fantasy, right? Not like anyone would know - letting herself really think about it for the first time. And she liked the ideas she had, no matter which of them came out as being in control of the situation.

That had been a mistake because afterward it was harder than ever to stuff the feelings down and keep her thoughts from straying again toward those same and other scenarios. Things that would never, _could_ never happen... she couldn't allow to happen... But when he finally showed up again for the inevitable kidnapping, she couldn't stop a certain seductively teasing tone from creeping into her usual snappy comebacks.

And now... here she was playing her part with someone who for the past few weeks had reminded her more and more of the man she shouldn't want. And whose hands in black leather gloves were slipping around the tops of her thighs, sliding under them, coaxing them apart to bring her closer as he inched closer to her chair on his knees. A man who not only looked and acted incredibly like Megamind but enjoyed the guilty pleasure of the fantasy as much as she did. Making it seem so real.

Again the niggling fear that Bernard might think less of her had to be quelled by reminding herself that he was the one who'd brought it up. It had been his idea after all. And that made her feel guilty, that she'd let him do this. Playing the part of this person she shouldn't even want in order to turn her on even more. He ought to know he was enough as himself first. The persistent thought irritated her conscience. An annoying grain of self-reproach disrupting her ability to immerse herself in the fantasy completely. She lifted her mouth away from his, meaning to tell him, but she only felt his lips move along her neck and felt that furry little chin ornamentation tickle her skin as he moved toward her earlobe again... and she melted. _But I do want this..._ being with Bernard... such a sweet guy... the one she should want. Her head fell back, exposing more skin for him, offering herself up even while knowing it was Megamind who turned her on more... and shouldn't... Suddenly the hands massaging her rear pulled her hard against him.

Her head swung upright and her body tensed. Seeing his unnaturally green eyes staring into hers, wide in the dark, only excited her further. Her body swayed toward his. He exhaled heavily, holding them close, pulling her even closer, wordlessly expressing his desire. Was this Bernard then? Or the part he was playing? There'd been little indication that he could be so... assertive. She liked it, as unexpected it was. She wanted him to do more of it although it unnerved her a little, how exactly he recreated the way she had imagined Megamind would be... but the tense bulge in his tight pants pressing into her roused her body's response to greater intensity, and her arms tightened around his shoulders. _Ok, just this one time, right?_ As he pressed forward and brushed a kiss over her lips listening to the breath rushing between them both, then his tongue along the edge of her willing mouth, a little whimpering moan escaped her._ How wrong is it that I want him like this? Oh man... Megamind could make me give in so easily if he ever... But this is Bernard. Am I only wanting him because he makes me think of HIM so much? No... no... But, I shouldn't be letting him do this. _

_Damn it. Ok! He's willing. I'm willing. Consenting adults playing a game. No reason for guilt! _The pep talk barely soothed her._ Look, we just won't do it anymore. After this... I'll make sure he knows he's the one I want to be with. _He was taking her hand, pulling her to her feet, rising to stand with her. _But if we _are_ only going to do it once, _she thought eyes darting around the features of that blue face, so familiar and forbidden and drawing nearer to hers..._ I am going to enjoy it. Thoroughly._

The leather clad fingers slid around her waist as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed first one blue lip, then the other. The easy willingness floored him. _...That is _her_ kissing _me_! Roxanne is kissing me... me... _His happy sigh turned to a nearly silent moan as her lips left his to follow back along the edge of his jaw with a series of lingering pulses while his hands stilled at the small of her back, feeling the warmth building under his palms while he enjoyed her attentions, eyes closed in bliss. No one had wanted to so much as touch him before, so now finding this woman exploring every inch of him willingly, sweetly, even eagerly... an almost painfully keen sense of gratitude infused his lust, deepening it. Confounding him... His eyes opened, frowning... As much as he wanted her, something inside him withdrew from the thought of what he was about to do... _Never mind that_, he told himself, _it's just nerves. You know how to get past that._ He closed his eyes again and held her closer.

Now that her reservations were firmly laid aside for the night, Roxanne was ready to embrace her blue fantasy fully. She wanted to touch every part of him, believing it really was him. Her flushed, swollen lips caressed his face and although her fingers itched to caress the smooth shape of his enormous head as well... her hand stopped at his slender neck, stroking up and down the back of it. She would have to deny herself that much in order not to let the cold artificiality of his costume interrupt her fantasy.

There was no reason for him to hold back though, and as the feeling of her fingers along his neck gave him the most pleasurable kind of shiver, his own hands moved down over her ample cheeks, as far down as he could reach, then back up... doing it again more slowly to enjoy how it made her hips press into his. Her nose ruffled his goatee before she gently bit the end of his chin. Quickly his lips sought hers. But she broke away to drag her mouth and nose down his neck the way he'd done to her first, allowing herself to reach down in turn and grab two hands full of the tightly muscled butt wrapped in black and blue that imitated her captor's so well.

It stirred up such a primal feeling in him. S_low down_, he told himself as an answering growl hummed in his throat. Knowing this might be a one-time offer, he wanted to make it last as long as possible. One black fingertip found the channel of the zipper on her dress and followed it slowly up, unaware of the chill he was sending along her spine but feeling her body press along his in a wave that followed the fluid movement of his hand. Then he was pulling it down... aware of her shrugging, helping to slide the dress off. His breathing grew shallow as it fell to the floor with barely a rustle, and he ran his hands down her back again. Over bare skin. Bare... He could almost feel her through the gloves. Suddenly he desperately wanted to touch her skin with his. Needed that contact. Without a projected image between them, without barriers.

_Except the barrier of your lie._

His eyes popped open at the mental rebuke that seemed to come out of nowhere, but she was intent on his lips again, hands grasping the back of his belt to hold his hips tightly against hers. He relaxed and did his best to return her kisses while frantically pulling at the leather gauntlets behind her back. _Stupid... gloves... Why did Minion make them so tight?_ When they finally began to loosen he reminded himself, _just keep your hands where she can't see them._ Finally with a last desperate tug, he threw them aside in triumph and quickly stroked his fingers down her back, using the sensitive tips of his dextrous digits first, then following her form more closely with the entire surface of his palms. _Oh! Such softness... curviness... Roxanne-ness. _Just as wonderful as he'd imagined it so many times... but reality was infinitely better. Because here was not only the loveliness of her physical body that filled his daydreams, but also the whole woman - this person who impressed him and commanded his respect and devotion more and more; her bravery, her humor, her intelligence and determination and spunk. All of that and every part of her was here now, responding to him... as himself. The sultry warmth and slight, telltale dampness of her skin betrayed her excitement. And it was him she was excited to be with... him! It made his head spin. He wanted her so much... _Minion was right. I am in love with her._ And yet, how was he going to accept what she was offering? What apparently they both wanted? _How am I going to stop her from seeing..._

Roxanne gifted him with the answer as her hands trembling with impatient passion slid up his chest and down again, around behind him. "Keep the suit on for me?" she whispered into his mouth, giving his butt a hard squeeze.

"Absolutely," he gasped in relief, feeling her hands exploring parts of him he'd never thought would feel her touch. "Anything you want. Anything for my sweet..." His lips moved to touch her ear, whisper in it, gripping her earlobe gently with his teeth, and growling the words around it, "_sexy_ little victim..." The wordless noise she made in response was all the affirmation he needed.

He turned her quickly, steering her backward toward the couch with what was left of his functioning brain scrambling to think of a way to hide the remaining parts of himself that had to be bared but were colored and formed a bit uniquely. She would certainly find Bernard's "costume" a little too detailed if those lovely wandering hands went where none but his had gone before. _Well, we can't have that... I wish I could just tell her, but... _His heart ached a little knowing he had to continue the deception, allowing her to believe she was with the nerdy curator. "Would you like me to restrain you?" he hissed in her ear, thinking of how she'd tried to recreate her customary bondage herself.

She pulled away and looked at him with parted lips, feeling the edge of the couch pressing the back of her calves. Well, this was about her being his victim. He did ask how Megamind controlled her during a kidnapping, and he was playing the part very thoroughly and... the idea was so tempting, an aspect of some of her fantasies she felt distinctly at odds with but still found oddly... arousing somehow. "Promise you won't hurt me." The heavy whisper made it clear how turned on she was.

He paused to look at that lovely face, thinking of how he was willing to do whatever she wanted, to please her and make her want him more in return. "I would never." He began laying her back gently on the couch, easing her down, a hand at her back and their eyes fixed on each other. "Trust me..."

_Trust you?_ his conscience suddenly jeered.

_Argh! This is no time for you to start squawking, con-science! _He lifted her hands in his over her head as she watched him, offering no resistance, and holding them there firmly he took his time kissing her.

Roxanne tingled all over with the nervous excitement her willingly vulnerable position produced, feeling his lips move down over her neck and down more, deliberately appreciating every little detail he found. It surprised her, but in a very good way. She'd half expected everything to happen in a rush of blind passion and first-time jitters. Then seeing him withdraw a little, bowing his head to look her over, she briefly wondered if she ought to play the unwilling victim yet again.

The city's illumination shining through the rain on the windows lent her naked torso a silvery glow. Deep grey pooled in the hollow of her belly, spilling a dark line of shadow up the center of her body. His eyes followed it to the delicate bra and then to her arms, lifted gracefully and lying relaxed above her dark hair. He found himself fascinated by the shimmer of the light over her chest as she breathed, waiting for him... He wondered if his skin would be colorless too. How amazing it would be to feel all of himself along all of her... but that was just not a risk he could take.

_Not now... but maybe later, if I tell-_

_Uh yeah, how's that going to happen? Oh! You mean, tell her you tricked her **after** you have sex with her. Well! I'm sure that'll go over just fine. Why wouldn't she just jump right back in the sack with you?_

_But, she does want _me_. Me. She said so. She might to be happy to find out that-_

_Mmhmm, I'm sure she'll be thrilled. Look, shouldn't you tell her _now?..._ before-_

_Well, what am I supposed to do? Ziiiiip- Hey, look, Roxanne! Bet you've never seen one of these before! Surprise! It really IS me! Isn't that great?_

He hadn't realized he'd stopped, brows knotted together as he studied her luminescent form, caught up in his guilt-ridden inner dialogue until it was interrupted by hearing her voice. "Bern-"

When he looked up quickly into her wide, wondering eyes watching him in the dark, she stopped herself and questioned softly instead, "Megamind?"

Seeing the way she was waiting for him, so trustingly, he began to despise himself. Deception had always been a way of life for him - it _had_ to be - but now it seemed utterly distasteful. He shifted uncomfortably. But the sound of his name hanging on the air, an unstated question, a request... why did you stop? _Oh god, what I'd give to hear her say my name that way, knowing it's me..._ As he looked down over her again, his need overrode the guilt. He suddenly sat back on his haunches, arms still stretched over hers, and began to slowly lick up the length of her torso, serpentining his tongue over her skin. And when its tip ran dry, he backed up a little and used his chin, sweeping the goatee he'd noticed her watching as softly as he could over her skin, pursing his lips so they could brush against the velveted texture as well.

She looked down on that huge blue dome and tried not to laugh... but soon a sputter burst forth from between her lips and then a giggle, bubbling up more and more until she was squirming under him from the sensation of that fuzzy stripe wending such a lazy, deliberate path along parts of her that had never had such attention. The tip of his nose passed over the harder areas straining against the cups of her bra as well, making her squeak and twist sideways, laughing harder.

At hearing her losing her composure, the tongue made a comeback, and she felt hot, breathy chuckles wafting against her skin as well, fanning her now outright laughter into stifled squeals as the tickling became even more unbearable. Blissfully distracted with the enjoyment his task, he worked his way up her squirming body, alternating tongue and goatee, passing again between the heaving cups of her bra... up her neck, ending with a flick of the tongue off the underside of her chin.

"Now, now..." he pretended to scold when he'd withdrawn to watch her recover. "Torture is serious business." The dark eyebrows lowered menacingly. "And _no one_ laughs at the Evil Overlord of Metrocity!"

Her face froze, wide-eyed as she quickly tried to compose herself again. The blue eyes stared back at him, lips pressed together tightly... but the giggles would not die and began bursting out little by little until she finally gave up trying to hold back.

Grinning, he leaned down and caught her laughing mouth in a kiss. "Oh, sweetheart," she heard him break character to chuckle as he kissed her tenderly. "Roxanne... you're so..." Another kiss interrupted his words, already barely audible. Abruptly his tone changed as he pulled away again. "You _dare_ to continue laughing? I'll soon make you change your tune... I'm afraid... that you're going to have to _pay _the_ penalty _for such foolishness."

She gasped a breathy plea at his provocative warning, "Oh, Mr. Overlord..." One leg rose alongside his. "You're not going to hurt me, are you?"

He bit his lip. "The Evil Overlord isn't in the habit of using such simple and barbaric means of discipline as mere _pain_. But I can tell you this..." His voice dropped lower as he brought his face down closer to hers and saw her breathless smile. "By the time I'm done, you are going to be _begging..._ for more."

_I bet I will._ His lips wrapped around the soft skin of her neck where her pulse beat visibly, tongue grazing over the saltiness, nipping possessively all along the side of it to her ear as she closed her eyes and hummed, "Mmm, Megamind... I've been really, reeeally naughty..." She squirmed under him again, intensifying their contact. "If you only knew the things I've thought about you..." His hips pressed her thighs apart, and she wrapped both legs around him with a gasping whine. "You'd know just how much I deserve a _long, hard_ penalty..."

His heart was pounding in his ears, almost obscuring her throaty whispers as he moved against her again... but the effort was half-hearted. Was it nervousness or something else that was making him hesitate?

"Oooh yeah... I definitely need you to penalize me..."

Her words echoed in his head while the pounding in his chest grew more uncomfortable. Her playful banter was so tantalizing... so obviously granting him permission, but... _She doesn't deserve to be penalized. I do. Treating her this way... she's trusting me... And later... how will she ever... how could I possibly expect her to forgive this?_

"Megamind?" He'd stopped and was staring at her.

_Penalize... oh god... I know what she wants, and I want it too, but... I can't... _

Roxanne noticed the difference in his voice first. All playful seduction set aside to address her softly and soberly instead. "Roxanne... There's... this is going to sound..." He wavered, eyes tightly closed and his head weaving side to side as though he was struggling with himself. "... there's something I should tell you." He opened his eyes, frowning to himself a little before solemnly meeting her gaze again. "I have to tell you."

The sudden change in mood was mildly alarming to say the least. She blinked up at him, still keenly aware of his body against hers, arms over her head and his hands at her wrists, his hips connected with hers in the most intimate way... _What? Now?_ She wanted to tell him it could wait, but... _There's something I have to tell you?_ _No, this is Bernard. He's__ probably__ just nervous._ "Honey," she assured him. "Look, whatever it is... it can wait... right?" She moved her hands to thread her fingers between his, clasping his hands.

_Oh, sweet Roxanne. _For a moment he considered going ahead, but seeing her gentle smile trying to reassure him, holding his hands... "No. This is important."

Her face sobered. "How important?"

"Really important." The green eyes were filled with apprehension.

"Ah heh, um... well, I have to say you're scaring me a little here." _He's just teasing. This is going to be one of those funny turns of phrase he always comes out with at the most hilarious times. Or... or it'll be some quirky request, right? Maybe some fetish. Besides the Megamind costume. Or maybe..._ The worst possibilities that she was trying hard not to allow herself to think of forced their way front and center anyhow. _He's engaged... he's married... he has an STD... oh lord, not HIV...?_ Suddenly she felt annoyed with him for waiting until now to come out with it. Whatever it was. "You know... This is not what a girl wants to hear right before things get serious." Her voice trailed away, seeing the wide green eyes looking down on her sadly.

"Please don't hate me," he begged.

_Oh no._ "Why... why would I hate you...? Bernard, what could make me..." She stopped and groaned. "Are you married? Please tell me you're not married."

"Wha-? No!" he answered quickly. "I'm not... I'm not _married_."

She looked at him skeptically. "Engaged, then."

A wry smile lifted one corner of his lips. "Not even that." He looked at her with obvious longing, "That would be nice, but..."

Roxanne was unmoved, still puzzling over what could be so critical as to make him stop in the middle of _this_. "Soo... are you sick?"

"No."

"Crabs."

"No!"

"Gay."

"No," he insisted, shaking his head, "I told you..."

Flustered, her hands opening wide, she demanded, "Well? What is it!?"

His gaze dropped, meandering to the floor. He sighed before looking up at her again like a naughty little boy. "I'm... I'm Megamind."

Roxanne froze. She knew she ought to react to this ridiculousness. But her brain felt like the rainbow wheel cursor that spun on her laptop when the CPU was having a moment. Nothing, no reaction at all, registered for several long seconds. Finally she repeated, "You're Megamind."

Baffled by her silence, he stared back at her. "Yes. That's right." He had expected some kind of response. Anger, screaming, fear, horror, even violence... something! But she was just lying there, blankly looking at him.

Finally she seemed to come to life with a sigh. "Bernard..." she began patiently. "Megamind isn't just some guy in a costume. He's an _alien_. He came here when he was a baby... from... I don't know. Some planet far away. You _know_ that. Look, I know you admire him and... and enjoy playing this character. And you're really good at it! But... you can't just say, 'I'm Megamind' like some movie character saying, 'I'm Batman' and expect me to-" She stopped at seeing him slowly shake his head. "It... it just doesn't work that way."

He released her arms and sat back on his heels between her legs. "Roxanne," he reiterated. "I am Megamind." Frowning a little now, she sat up, hands flat on the couch to scoot back a little, looking more and more perplexed. He reached out and took one of her hands and placed it on the side of his head. "It's _me,_" he gently insisted.

Where her fingers expected to touch the dead plasticity of latex, she felt warm living flesh instead. His head turned a little, coaxing her hand up higher and closing his eyes as though he wanted to hang onto the sensation of her touch. Maybe for the last time. In disbelief she put out her other hand and touched the other side of his face, fingertips trailing slowly back, above his ear, up behind his skull, smoothly slipping over his enormous blue dome until her hand left his forehead and pulled back. She looked at her fingertips incredulously, rubbing them together before returning her gaze to his face, her hand curled near her lips.

They looked at each other in silence. Then as he was about to speak, she reached out and gave the hairs on his chin a hard yank.

"Ouch!" One blue hand flew up to cover the black stripe. "I thought you liked the goatee." He rubbed at the offended area.

"I do..." Her eyes were at their widest, darting around his face. "I mean - GET OUT!"

"Now wait-"

"No! Get. OUT."

"Roxanne, please... just, hang on. Can I explain what happened?"

In shock she continued to gape until glancing down at herself she seemed to remember how scantily clad she was. Scrambling off the couch, she swept her dress off the floor and whirled to face him again, holding it in front of her.

His head tipped to the side, shoulders drooping, hurt by her reaction. "Sweetheart-"

"Oh! Don't you _dare_ call me that!" Swiftly grabbing the lamp from the side table, she pulled the cord right out of the wall, lifting it, ready to strike.

His hands flew up, palms out. "Ok! Ok! No need for that! Just... uh... put the lamp down..."

"Fat chance! You were about to-! You were really going to-!" Her expression wavered between disbelief and outrage.

"But I didn't, Roxanne!"

She frowned, watching him warily, unable to argue with that much.

"I didn't, did I? I couldn't." Getting up from the couch, he saw her heft the lamp a little higher and pull the dress closer against her body. It wasn't covering much, and he was careful to keep his eyes on her face. "Can I just... explain-"

"Why should I-"

"I know!" He butted in again hastily as they talked over each other. "I know I don't deserve a chance to explain! And there's even less reason you should listen. But... you want to know... don't you?" Hoping her inquisitive nature really was as insatiable as he suspected, he mentally crossed his fingers and waited a moment before blurting out, "Could I please just tell you how all of this happened? And then... I'll... I'll leave. If you want."

Roxanne narrowed her eyes at him, but when she didn't answer he quickly began telling her everything he could remember starting from the night she nearly ran him down on the catwalk that had encircled Metro Man's massive statue to the present moment. How he'd felt, what he'd thought, how he'd pulled it off.

She listened despite her better judgment, still too stunned to simply interrupt and throw him out of her apartment. Outraged, betrayed, and embarrassed at being played for a fool, she recognized she was also disappointed. Hurt. And curious. As only a perpetually nosy, seasoned, hardened reporter who personally knew the city's villain could continue to be in such a predicament. A reporter who had been his long-time victim and who knew beyond any chance of denying it that she'd held her own long-time crush on him as much as he claimed he had on her. She didn't like that he was using her curiosity against her, but she couldn't deny she wanted to know how and when and even why.

She watched him talk in his usual animated fashion, arms and hands gesticulating theatrically. Shoulders rising and falling. His eyes and facial expressions conveying an impressive range of emotions, everything from his longing for her and his complete rapture at enjoying her company to his deep regret. She could see now in that blue face and those emerald eyes Bernard and Megamind at the same time, and listened to it all in total silence, eventually putting the lamp back down but near at hand, folding her arms across the dress still held in front of her.

When his story came to an end she was looking at the floor, her thoughts and emotions in turmoil, setting up such an internal clamor that she almost felt dizzy. So loud her brain seemed to be buzzing. He was trying to apologize, but it seemed she could hardly hear him and held up a restraining hand. "I think... I think you'd better leave. I need... need some time to think about this. A lot of time."

He stopped short. "I understand. Sure." He pressed the point. "When, um... when do you think... that maybe..."

"Just go."

Shoulders bowed, he turned to leave.

"Tomorrow," she suddenly spoke up when he reached the door. "Tomorrow. I don't want this to hang over our heads any longer than that." She could probably think about it forever, holding it over him forever, but it would be over her too. Waiting would only make it all that much more painful.

He looked back over his shoulder at her. "Tomorrow. Okay." Tomorrow sounded like forever away. "I'll be waiting."

She watched him leave, subdued and forlorn, the green eyes looking back for a moment to meet her gaze, almost ready to say something more... then he closed the door.

Her arms suddenly felt weak, nearly dropping her makeshift cover. Her lips trembled. "Oh man..."

* * *

Luckily it was late enough there wasn't anyone around. He had the elevator to himself and upon stepping out of it into the lobby, he didn't even notice Carlos had retired from the front desk for the night. It wouldn't have mattered. He didn't have the heart to turn the watch back to Bernard's face. Shuffling out the front door, he stopped on the wet sidewalk, finally looking up. The street was empty too. _What do I do now?_ He looked up and down the lonely avenue without really seeing it, his thoughts straying to Minion, probably back in the Lair. But he didn't want his sidekick's reassurances this time. Or his I-told-you-so's. _What's she doing now?_

He stood near the doors so long he began to feel stiff from the damp seeping into every muscle, unable to make himself leave. Sadness turned to agonizing, just knowing he'd ruined everything. _How am I going to make it until tomorrow? It might as well be a lifetime away._ He began to pace. _Is she upset? Well of course she is. She's angry. Did I say enough? Did I make her cry?_ He looked at his watch then stepped away from the building into the silent street and looked up. Spying her balcony, he backed up more until he could see. A light had been turned on in the apartment. And there she was, standing at the railing and staring into the night. He swallowed, wanting to draw attention to himself, but he couldn't seem to rouse his heavy arms and stood miserably instead, watching her, worried about her.

Roxanne looked down. The rain-cooled wind lifted her hair and ruffled his cape as they looked at each other across the distance. She shuddered from a chill. Time passed with both of them lost in their thoughts. And the more it passed the greater the feeling of hopelessness pulled him down into self-loathing._ How could I have done that? Kept going when I knew... I knew I loved her. More and more, the longer we were together. She wouldn't have any idea how much if all she has to go on is this whole fiasco. And my pitiful explanation._ His mouth opened uselessly when he saw her turn and go back inside. His chest heaved and ached as he saw the light go out too. _What does it mean?_ He began to feel a rising panic and looked at his watch again. _I have to go back in there. Now. Have to tell her..._ Straightening his shoulders and gathering his courage, he strode back to the door.

* * *

Roxanne stared into the darkness of her apartment. She realized she was wearing her robe now but couldn't remember having put it on. She was standing in the kitchen, not knowing how she got there. _I should go to bed._ It seemed like an impossible task. Her thoughts flew a mile a minute, remembering, thinking, wondering... about him... as Bernard... as Megamind... about the way she felt when they were together... how he'd acted and what he'd said... and done. About tonight.

A strange noise broke her trance-like state. Shuffling... and the sound of someone clearing his throat very quietly. Moving to the door she opened it, catching him with his hand raised just about to knock. He looked sheepish. "Uh..." One blue finger pointed at his watch. "It's tomorrow."

"Megamind..."

"Can I... can I just say one more thing?"

She leaned on the edge of the door and cocked an eyebrow at him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered desperately, slouching, pleading.

She sighed. "You already said that."

"But I can't say it enough. I _am_... I am so sorry. Please... please just..."

She looked away from him. "How could you have..." The whisper wrung his heart as it faded away.

"I was desperate," he appealed to her with a little self-deprecating shrug. "Absolutely desperate to be with you. And by the end... I couldn't stop. The more we were together, the more I needed you. But I am sorry... So, so sorry." He opened his mouth, wanting to add how much he loved her... but it was the wrong time. Saying those words right now, she might think he was only trying to use them to weigh in the balance and tip the scales his way. And he didn't want them to be misunderstood. Not like that. Never wanted them to be that cheap. "I couldn't wait until tomorrow... all the way until it was daylight, to tell you again," he complained, making morning seem impossible light years away. "To make sure you knew."

He stopped. She was looking at him now but saying nothing. Not trying to stop him, not reacting. Again. He took a step back. "I know you're not ready though. So, I'll wait. Just like I said. In fact... I'm going to wait right here outside your door," he pointed to an invisible spot on the hallway floor behind himself. "...until you're ready. For the rest of the night. Or... or however long it takes." Suddenly he thought of his appointment later that morning with Hal, and stopped backing away, the corners of his green eyes wrinkling as he tentatively asked, "How... long do you think it'll be?"

Roxanne's stony expression cracked into a grudging smirk as she shook her head a little. _Yeah, however long it takes. But could you hurry up?_ Turning serious once more, she said, "I'm done thinking."

"Oh." He blinked. _That was quick. _His heart plummeted to his boots._ Too quick._

Opening the door wider, she stepped back, clearly indicating he should come inside the dark apartment. He did with some trepidation, half expecting an ambush. She refused to move away but stood with him at the door, forcing him to be very near to her. Noticing that she wasn't turning on the lights, he was certain he'd be going back out that door again very soon.

"Is, uh... is the power out?" he ventured to query.

"I was going to go to bed. Sleep on all this. But I couldn't stop thinking..." Roxanne thought of seeing him down on the street looking back up at her. "I don't think there's any way I could sleep right now."

"Sorry," he winced as he whispered again.

"You keep saying that," she chided. "But... I need you to show me. Prove it."

"Anything you want," he blurted out. "...What do you want?"

"First of all," One feminine finger poked into his chest with surprising force, making him lean against the door. "I want you to start being yourself around me. _All_ the time. No more disguises or play acting or... anything."

"No more disguises... ok, gladly."

"And second," she demanded. "I want you to figure out exactly _how_ you're going to give this city _back_." The way she emphasized each word brooked no dissent.

He cringed. "Do I have to?"

"Megamind!" A smack landed upside his giant head.

"Okay!" He ducked like a fighter. "Okay..." Seeing her set jaw and pursed mouth, he refrained from mentioning how delightfully cute she was when she was being so sassy and stubborn. "I think I have that part figured out anyway."

Her face cleared. "Oh, that's right. Hal." Skeptically she added, "Look, I have my doubts about all that, but... we'll have to talk about that more tomorrow."

_Tomorrow?_

"Because, third..." She stepped completely into his personal space, watching her hands slide up his chest, then running her nails lightly down again over the black and blue suit. His hands involuntarily found their way around her waist, watching her carefully. Her eyes lifted to meet his. "You're gonna pay for this," she muttered, bringing her mouth close to his. "Starting tonight."

He couldn't help it that his eyes closed as their lips brushed. But when she pressed in more... an actual kiss setting his disbelief on fire, he couldn't have stopped himself kissing back any more than he could stop the shuddering sigh that left him at the same time. When she pulled away, he opened his eyes. "Really...? I mean, of course I will! I will most certainly pay... if that's what you want."

"Oh yes," she answered. It was then he noticed most that she still seemed hurt, even a little uncertain, and she poked her finger into his breastbone once more. "Don't you _ever_ make me question you again..." The hushed demand was tinged with anger. "You're only getting one chance." Her eyes shone with the fragile trust she was granting him. Or was it tears he was seeing as she whispered, "If you hurt me like that again..."

He started to pull her close, intending to swear on his life. "I won't. I-" All his assurances were cut short as she kissed him with the same sudden determination as she'd jabbed him in the chest to make her point. But now she was pulling him close as well, arms wrapping around his shoulders as he wrapped his around her, engaging that soft cerise mouth as though he was afraid the moment might burst like a soap bubble. But when they parted, she was definitely still there. Unbelievably. He squeezed her a little more and, feeling her body press tighter to his, rested his forehead against hers. "I promise, Roxanne... I promise I'll be good."

The corner of her mouth lifted in an amused smirk. "We'll see about that." Pulling away from him, her hand slid down to grasp his before she turned to lead him back to her room. "Because up to now you've been very, very bad, Megamind... and it's about time _you_ paid that penalty you were talking about."

He followed behind in a daze, muttering in disbelief, "Oh, I definitely don't deserve this..."

"No." Immediately she stopped and turned to face him. "You don't... But I do."

With barely a pause, he stepped forward to sweep her up in such a tight hug she was left standing on her toes. His luminous eyes gazed at her full of undisguised adoration. "You... can have whatever you want. Anything. Punish me as much as you like."

"Damn right," she whispered before they kissed again. Why should she give up the chance to have what she'd been wanting when she could also help him - force him if necessary - to complete this transformation from the villain he pretended to be on the outside into the man he was on the inside? She could be the hometown hero she'd been looking for all along. Hands running down his biceps, she pushed him away, breaking their kiss noisily. "Now get in there," she pointed toward her room.

"Yes, ma'am." He went obediently, ducking his head, but not before she caught a glimpse of an incredulous smile.

What if he reneged? What if... _Oh, enough with the what-ifs. Enjoy it. Enjoy him. Even if it's just for tonight._ Somehow, she really didn't think it would be. Feeling like a tigress, she began untying her robe, thinking about how she was going to wipe that smile off his face and leave _him_ begging for more. Her entire body was tingling in anticipation. She'd had no idea that power could be so... stimulating. "And no suit this time," she demanded as she followed him through the doorway.


End file.
